Cecily Asks A Question

Cecily looked up from her phone, frowning. She fidgeted in her seat.
"Preston! Can I ask you something real quick?"

Preston had been poring over and signing documents long enough for his eyes to start to cross, and welcomed the distraction. He shoved his to-do stack aside, looking up at Cecily and running a hand through his hair. "That depends on the question."

The heroine sighed, shaking her head.
"Thanks," she said, turning around to face the Mayor. "It's about Contessa - y'know, the lady who I'm positive set up the robbery shooting last night? I... I think I've got a chance to kill her tomorrow, but I don't think it's right to DO that."

Cecily draped herself over the back of her chair, deflated.
"Friends are saying that I should take the shot and stop her permanently, but... I dunno. If you had the chance, would you kill someone for the good of the world, even if there were other options?"

"Oh, right, Contessa. The one you were telling me about."
Preston had only been filled in on the robbery shooting a few hours previous, and the board had agreed that Contessa was worth looking into and discussing a plan for, but that would be slow going for a while, until they could get ahold of her prior arrest records.

Preston chewed on the end of his pen, thinking. "I...don't know. I've had the chance to kill people I knew were dangerous in the past, and I didn't take it. But maybe I'm not the right person to come to for advice on this." He laughed. It was more bitter than usual. "I'm kind of a coward."

Cecily shook her head. "No, I think that's a brave thing to do. Otherwise, I mean... What makes us different from all the villains killing for fun? Finding..."

She blinked. "Finding the alternative might be harder, but I think that makes it worth more, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, I kill pretty often, but I don't seem to be able to do it when it would actually benefit people other than myself." Preston laughed dryly. "And - I know I'm digging my own grave a little, here, but certain people are probably better off dead than rehabilitated or what have you. Contessa's been arrested and jailed before, and that doesn't seem to have deterred her from a life of crime."

"Yeah, I guess so... There's gotta be some way to neutralize her though, right? Nobody's invincible. I've just gotta find it."

Preston tapped a pen against his lips bemusedly. "You know Maria, right? She can literally neutralize peoples' powers. You should ask her."

Cecily shot up in her seat.
"That's not a bad idea at all! I'll see if she's free tomorrow."

"Well, there you go, then." Preston sank down into his seat, pulling his to-do pile closer towards him again. "If you don't show up to work the next day, should I just assume you got yourself killed and start looking for a new bodyguard?"

Cecily laughed. "I'll be in. Might be a little banged up, but I'll be here."
"Mm." Preston tapped his teeth against the end of his pen. "Well, try and stay safe."